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The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life Paperback – October 27, 2009

4.6 out of 5 stars 4,654 ratings

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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “The most authoritative portrait of one of the most important American investors of our time.”—Los Angeles Times

“Even people who don’t care a whit about business will be intrigued. . . . A side of the Oracle of Omaha that has rarely been seen.”—Time (Five Best Nonfiction Books of the Year)

A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The Washington Post; People; Financial Times; Businessweek; Janet Maslin, The New York Times; Publishers Weekly

Warren Buffett is one of the most respected men in the world. But the legendary Omaha investor has never written a memoir or offered a glimpse into his intensely private life. Here, at last, he gives unprecedented access to his work, opinions, struggles, triumphs, follies, and wisdom.

This complete biography of the man known everywhere as “the Oracle of Omaha” was written by highly respected former financial analyst and business writer Alice Schroeder with the cooperation of Buffett himself, who gave her thousands of hours of his own time as well as complete access to his wife, children, friends, and business associates—and his files. The result is the fullest exploration of his philosophy of life we will ever have. Here are the principles and ideas that made Buffett astoundingly wealthy, enriched the lives (and bank accounts) of those who adopted them, and created the most fascinating American success story of our time.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“The mandatory book to read in these treacherous times of financial crisis. . . . A thoughtful and intimate biography of the globe’s wisest investor.”Forbes

“Will mesmerize anyone interested in who Mr. Buffett is or how he got that way. The Snowball tells a fascinating story.”New York Times

“If the replication of any great achievement first requires knowledge of how it was done, then
 The Snowball, the most detailed glimpse inside Warren Buffett and his world that we likely will ever get, should become a Bible for capitalists.”Washington Post

Anyone who has been watching events unfold in recent months—which would be everyone—can now appreciate the wisdom of Buffett. . . . The most authoritative portrait of one of the most important American investors of our time.”Los Angeles Times

“Even people who don't care a whit about business will be intrigued by this portrait. . . . Schroeder, a former insurance-industry analyst, spent years interviewing Buffett, and the result is a side of the Oracle of Omaha that has rarely been seen.”Time Magazine

“Schroeder . . . has a meat-and-potatoes style that matches the homespun wisdom of her subject. . . . Now more than ever, Buffett’s emphasis on fundamentals seems like genius. It’s the perfect moment for a great book on an immensely inspiring capitalist.”People, four stars

“Schroeder . . . is well equipped to elucidate Buffett’s deals [and] Buffett’s life abounds with good stories.”
New Yorker

“You will learn a lot about one of the nation’s most compelling and important men from reading
 The Snowball.”Boston Globe

“In 
The Snowball, novice biographer Alice Schroeder gives us one of the most detailed, candid life stories ever published. . . . It is almost impossible to stop reading.”Christian Science Monitor

“A penetrating and personal look at the Oracle of Omaha . . . An astute, and at times riveting, read—especially now.”
BusinessWeek

“Everyone knows that in a deep and liquid capital market like that of the US, it is just about impossible to beat the stock market averages over anything more than the short term. But Buffett has been ahead of the curve for most of the past 50 years, making him one of the world’s richest people. Alice Schroeder’ s massive authorized biography, 
The Snowball, provides some clues about how he’s done it.”Financial Times

“In this startlingly frank account of Buffett’s life, Schroeder, a former managing director at Morgan Stanley—and hand picked by Buffett to be his biographer—strips away the mystery that has long cloaked the word’s richest man to reveal a life and fortune erected around lucid and inspired business vision and unimaginable personal complexity.”
Publishers Weekly 

“This massive—and highly readable—text (produced with Buffett’s full cooperation) is an unvarnished and well-paced biography that is essential for all public and academic business collections.”
Library Journal

“For students of the Oracle of Omaha, or even those looking for a little reassurance during the crisis, Schroeder’s book is a fascinating study of America’s most successful investor.”
New York Post

“Alice Schroeder’s accumulation of detail, her vivid, artless descriptions of people and places, and the resulting narrative fluidity make this a compelling book. It has the bouncing vitality of an early Sinclair Lewis novel.”Times Literary Supplement

“An excellent and highly enjoyable look at the business titan . . . If you’ve looked at your 401(k) statement and started to fear that everyone in financial markets is either greedy, predatory or incompetent, do yourself a favor. Take $35 out of the mattress and buy a copy of Alice Schroeder’s 
The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life. At a time like this, it’s a real comfort: Buffet is living proof there’s at least one wholly rational person managing money.”Houston Chronicle

“Ms. Schroeder does a good job of pulling . . . volunteered disclosures out of Mr. Buffett but her real contribution is her own investment expertise which enables her to make the convoluted financing schemes over the last 50 years understandable to lay readers and truly instructive to the business information junkie.”
Washington Times

“This is a fast-paced, precisely drawn profile of a man who, despite his high visibility in the financial world, isn’t someone we’ve known much about. . . . We do now.”
Kansas City Star

“This massive—and highly readable—text (produced with Buffett’s full cooperation) is an unvarnished and well-paced biography that is essential for all public and academic business collections.”
Library Journal

“Top-notch biographies demand thorough research and crisp, finely honed writing. Schroeder exhibits both. . . . It’s hard to imagine a more complete account of Buffett’s life had he written it himself.”
Buffalo News 

“Riveting and encyclopedic . . . The overall power of the story carries
The Snowball forward. There is much to be learned from it.”Wall Street Journal

“A monumental biography . . . Schroeder got the best access yet of any Buffett biographer. . . . She deals out marvelously funny and poignant stories about Buffett and the conglomerate he runs, Berkshire Hathaway.”
Forbes

About the Author

Alice Schroeder was a noted insurance industry analyst and writer who was a managing director at Morgan Stanley. She first met Warren Buffett when she published research on Berkshire Hathaway; her grasp of the subject and insight so impressed him that he offered her access to his files and to himself. Their friendship and mutual respect make her ideally positioned to write the The Snowball. Ms. Schroeder was born in Texas, and she earned an undergraduate degree and her MBA at the University of Texas at Austin before moving east to work in finance. She is a former CPA and lives in Connecticut with her husband.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 27, 2009
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ Updtd & Condnsd ed.
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 832 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0553384619
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0553384611
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.07 x 1.46 x 9.15 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars 4,654 ratings

About the author

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Alice Schroeder
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Alice Schroeder began her career as a certified public accountant, working for Ernst & Young before being appointed as a managing director at Morgan Stanley in the equities division. She was the Number One-ranked Institutional Investor All-America Research analyst in 2001 and 2002, and a member of the All-America Research team for seven years. Schroeder first met Warren Buffett in 1998. By 2001, Buffett began to suggest that Alice shift from the business of following stocks in order to write full-time. The Snowball is a Number One International Bestseller.

(Photo credit: Marion Ettlinger)

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4,654 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book engaging and well-written, with detailed insights into Warren Buffett's life and business journey. They appreciate its value as an investment mentor and timeless financial wisdom. The book receives positive feedback for its image quality, with one customer noting how it makes Buffett seem more human. While many customers find it a fascinating biography, some mention it is very long.

188 customers mention "Readability"175 positive13 negative

Customers find the book highly readable, describing it as a fun and engaging read that's perfect for voracious readers.

"Alice Schroeder has accomplished an impressive feat...." Read more

"...didn't need so much back story about his family but definitely a book worth reading." Read more

"...There are hilarious snippets after every other chapter and with no time you will complete reading the autobiography and even probably re-read it...." Read more

"Alice has written a singularly remarkable book: for the first time we have a historical record of Buffett's career with his cooperation as well as..." Read more

141 customers mention "Insight"131 positive10 negative

Customers find the book insightful and well-researched, with detailed coverage of every aspect.

"...She is the true heroine of this book...." Read more

"A very thoroughly researched and well written book about the life and legacy of a financial genius. A little too long-winded in places...." Read more

"...The book offers an account of the complete Buffett mythology: his folksy, Midwestern values, his common-sense voice, his sage wisdom about business...." Read more

"...The book is full of insights and it is by reading it that one will be able to grasp and even apply some of the insights in his/her life...." Read more

89 customers mention "Writing quality"66 positive23 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it exceptionally well told and easy to read, with one customer noting its conversational style.

"...This beautifully written 940 page biography reveals aspects of the Buffett personality which alternately shocked and repelled me...." Read more

"A very thoroughly researched and well written book about the life and legacy of a financial genius. A little too long-winded in places...." Read more

"...tons of information about his whole life and world, it perfectly captures Buffett’s voice, as well as separate accounts of many important times in..." Read more

"...However, the writing goes into excruciatingly detailed minutia about Warren Buffet's father's life, his grandfather, the house he lived in,..." Read more

84 customers mention "Biography"84 positive0 negative

Customers find this biography fascinating, providing incredible detail about Buffett's life and offering great insights into his story.

"...He has now created a wonderful collection of businesses that will long outlast him at least by a generation...." Read more

"...The book chronicles his philosophy of business and many of his quirks - he favours Coke over wine and burgers and steaks over almost any other type..." Read more

"...Fascinating stuff. You can also learn about his early career and how he got started, as well as his father the politician and the impact..." Read more

"...remarkable book: for the first time we have a historical record of Buffett's career with his cooperation as well as the cooperation of those close..." Read more

38 customers mention "Value for money"31 positive7 negative

Customers find the book valuable, appreciating its timeless financial wisdom and insights into Warren Buffett's investment philosophy.

"...researched and well written book about the life and legacy of a financial genius. A little too long-winded in places...." Read more

"...Schroeder has written a good valuation report style biography of the man and I suppose in many ways that’s the type of biography most suited to this..." Read more

"...He will endow you with timeless financial wisdom and proper business ethics that aren’t taught in school...." Read more

"...Don't get me wrong, he did a great job for his investors of which I wish I were one...." Read more

22 customers mention "Image quality"16 positive6 negative

Customers appreciate the book's detailed and informative approach to Warren Buffett's life, with one customer noting how it makes the cultural icon seem more human.

"...this is the master's degree -- masterfully written, researched, thought out, and a valuable gift to Buffett aficionados, admirers, and students of..." Read more

"...of time is spent on his personal life and I enjoyed this as great background...." Read more

"...I didn't care much for the writing style; it's very flowery and overdramatic, and wordy. This book could be condensed quite a bit in my opinion." Read more

"...This book is definitely NOT DULL. It is written like a mystery story...." Read more

38 customers mention "Length"12 positive26 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's length, with many finding it very long and large, though one customer notes it reads like a 900-page Wikipedia article.

"...The book is lengthy and has a lot of details some of which one may not find necessary but the conversational writing that Alice has employed in..." Read more

"...shows that his success is not due to his IQ but rather to his phenomenal memory...." Read more

"...It is a long read, and it is not a church book, but if you have a interest in this man, and some of his thoughts and background, I truly recommend..." Read more

"...It's a long book, but that is not a problem for me if a book is good...." Read more

Excellent Book. I own four editions in English and ...
5 out of 5 stars
Excellent Book. I own four editions in English and ...
Excellent Book. I own four editions in English and one in Portuguese. I own another edition in Kindle. I had the impression that sometimes it was not the same book in Kindle. Some parts contained in the print Edition do not exist in the Last Kindle Edition. For example, page 551 in the print edition is different from the same part in the Kindle Edition. It seems that some parts of the first edition were eliminated from the last kindle edition.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 30, 2008
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Alice Schroeder has accomplished an impressive feat. The poor lady must have spent many hours at Gorat's watching Buffett devour his strict Colon Cancer diet. This beautifully written 940 page biography reveals aspects of the Buffett personality which alternately shocked and repelled me. For example, I had no idea that Buffett the teenager was an habitual shoplifter. If I had known this many years ago I might never have started collecting Berkshire shares.
    His emotional neglect of his son Howie caused Howie to act up in order to gain his father's attention. Buffett gave neither money nor his personal time to his children. He spent his hours in his study and the children effectively had no father. It was as if he regarded them as a costly overhead expense that he tolerated to please his wife. Years later, when Howie ran for public office, Buffett refused to donate to his son's campaign.
    Although he could be tough, heartless and greedy where money was concerned, he was a complete wuss in interpersonal relationships. His mother's criticisms of him as a child made him weep and he was terrified of her even as an adult. One wonders if his uncontrolled greed for cash was his way of building a moat around himself that his mother could not breach.
    As his fame grew, he started spending time with his Yiddish princess, Kay. He stayed in her many luxurious residences while his wife lived alone in their small Omaha home now bereft of children. Naturally Susie, his wife, found this to be a lonely life and she started to look around for something to fill in the hours. She sang professionally and gave generously of her time to acquaintances who were needy. She is the true heroine of this book. Her generosity and innate goodness contrast sharply with the shallow greediness of the husband she was pressured into marrying. When Susie, on several occasions, had to enter hospital Buffett refused each time to visit his wife. Apparently the Miser of Omaha is terrified of hospitals and doctors. When his friend Kay lay near death it was his daughter Susie Jr who, after much effort, persuaded him to visit the bedside of his dying friend.
    His entire life is based on the dictum: take but never give. The time eventually came when his wife Susie had had enough. She moved out to San Francisco and started enjoying herself. Buffett wept for days when he realized that his wife had left him. He begged her to return but to no avail. Susie asked a friend to look in on him & to cook him an occasional meal. Eventually the friend moved into the house. Buffett, the book clearly shows, is always on the lookout for a 'mommy' - a female who will shelter him, coddle him and make him feel 'safe'. He knows several such persons.
    It wasn't until Susie died that Buffett started to have a real relationship with his children. He stopped regarding them as unnecessary expenses but started relating to them & giving them his time & his love which he had always denied them in childhood. He became aware of their feelings rather than being totally preoccupied with his own. He started to consider his children as being important in his life. For the first time he took an interest in what they were doing. His son Howie missed his father's companionship during his childhood very much. He appeared to ignore his son Peter pretty well completely until he became an adult. After Susie died, Buffett started to give Peter some attention and to treat him as a human being. The author says that Howie had yearned for a
    close connection to his father all his life & had never received it. Howie & his wife moved to Omaha so that he could be near his father.
    Buffett has now started giving his children big checks on their birthdays which he had never done before. He is trying to buy their love after depriving them of the most precious gift he could have given them in childhood - his personal time and personal attention.
    The book describes how Buffett showed a real coldness to the adopted daughters of his son Peter. He told Peter they would receive nothing in his will. He wrote a cruel letter to Nicole Buffett, his son Peter's adopted daughter. The book doesn't really explain the meanness that Buffett displayed toward this girl.
    The book errs in one respect. The author did not get it quite right about the issuance of Class "B" shares. They were issued because Katz, a Philadelphia mayoral candidate, was going to subdivide the "A" shares & issue a "B" share of his own. Buffett had Charlie Munster call Katz and try to bully him into withdrawing his plan but Katz would not budge. So Buffett, much against his wishes, had to bring out the "B" shares himself.
    The book describes his difficulty in understanding and using computers which clearly shows that his success is not due to his IQ but rather to his phenomenal memory. His ability to remember countless past business scenarios and their outcomes allows him to make good business decisions.
    As this marvelous book nears the end, it makes clear that it is so difficult & painful for Buffett to give away money, or bottle caps, or golf balls that he passed the job to the Gates Foundation. The Gates Foundation is actively supporting planetary overpopulation by distributing the money to Africa and the Africans, rather than returning it to the American citizens who made it possible for Buffett and Gates to accumulate this money in the first place.
    Buffett has passed up an opportunity to be truly creative with his wealth. One can only wonder at the incredible advances in medicine that could be made if a large amount of this money were devoted to stem cell research. By giving it away Buffett looks ridiculous. After working all his life to accumulate something and then discarding it we must conclude he worked all his life for nothing. Unlike Andrew Carnegie, he leaves nothing behind for which he would be remembered. He will be quickly forgotten.
    Some years after his wife Susie died, Buffett married his companion changing her status from a lowly live-in servant girl to a wife. One wonders if she had to sign a Pre-Nup.
    58 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on February 4, 2009
    Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase
    Warren Buffett authorized Alice Schroeder, a former insurance analyst with Paine Webber, to pen his biography. He told her if there are 2 versions of a story, use the "less flattering version". This tidbit demonstrates how humble the greatest investor in history is. This book is 838 pages excluding notes. I read this book carefully and I will be reading it again. I admire Buffett. I bought my first BRK share in 1997 and its share price dropped 40% recently and fell below liquidation value. I bought a few more. BRK is my single largest holding, accounting for a third of my portfolio. If the price drops more, I will buy more.

    The title Snowball refers to the power of compounding (snowflakes become snowballs). Buffett compounded businesses. He began to sell products (chewing gum) at age 6 years. He always had a fascination with numbers and money. He was a precocious child, very intelligent, good in math. By age 10 he visited Wall Street and developed an interest in stocks. Bought stocks shortly afterwards. By the time he was 16, he was worth $5000 (in today's dollars that would amount to $53,000).

    He was born to intelligent parents who afforded him a good education. He states he won the "ovarian lottery". Had he been born in Bangladesh, for example, to a poor family, his skills in capital allocation would have been useless. As such, he states he was very lucky to be born in the USA. His father was a libertarian Republican congressman whom Buffett admired greatly and mourned his death. He was not close to his verbally abusive mother. Buffett himself is a well known liberal democrat and talks about the need for higher income and capital gains taxes. He says he is a democrat because of the party's stance on civil and reproductive rights. Buffett is an atheist. He has contributed to the democratic party, family planning and "nuke free" organizations.

    Interestingly, Buffett wanted to attend Harvard but was rejected. He was accepted into Columbia where he fell under the sway of Graham and Dodd. He recommends Grahams' book Intelligent Investor. (He recently gave an interview asking investors to pay particular attention to chapters 8 and 20). He married Susan Thompson, the daughter of a prominent local physician. Susie bore him 3 children. Buffett was distant to his kids, he was busy and focused in his work of compounding money. He adored his wife but she became burned out caring for Buffett that later in life she moved to San Francisco and set up a waitress named Astrid Menks to care for Buffett. After Susie died a few years ago, Buffett married Astrid. Susie, with Warren's blessing, was a social activist. She was very engaged in the civil and gay rights movements. After Susie died, he became very close to his kids.

    Buffett befriended Kay Graham, the owner of Washington Post Co. Kay was famous for her Washington DC parties. Buffett the country bumpkin from Nebraska, met many famous people at these parties which he called elephant bumping. After initial reticence, he found that he enjoyed elephant bumping very much.

    Berkshire Hathaway was a textile mill that Buffett bought. It did not make any money, it was a losing business. Buffett sold it many years later but kept the name. He partnered with Charlie Munger and began to acquire more businesses. Their business dealings became so complex that they were investigated by the SEC in 1975. This caused Buffett a lot of lost sleep and anxious moments. The SEC commissioner, Stan Sporkin concluded that Buffett and Munger mistepped, but were not crooks. They got a gentle tap on the wrist. The incident caused Buffett and Munger to simplify their partnership.

    Another anxious moment for Buffett and Munger was acquiring a stake in Salomon Brothers which became involved in a scandal in buying Treasury bonds. One rogue trader caused so much trouble. Buffett took over as chairman and worked with the federal regulators and paid a massive fine and returned Salomon to health and sold it off. One of the players in this incident was John Merriweather, who later left and founded Long Term Capital Management. In 1999, LTCM nearly imploded and risked causing a global financial meltdown. Buffett offered to buy LTCM only if Merriweather left. Buffett guarded his reputation zealously and Merriweather was considered tainted. The feds, led by Alan Greenspan, saved LTCM, creating a moral hazard. We are still paying the price today because the feds are intervening everywhere these days. Had Buffett taken over LTCM, there would have been no moral hazard.

    Buffett said he made a mistake in investing in US Air. But he bought Net Jets and liked it so much even though it is not making much money. His purchase of General Re took years to pay off. He warned about derivatives long before they became toxic. He cleaned out bad management at Gen Re. His purchase of a utility company caused consternation at the time but with the recent alternative energy boom, his purchase now appears to be a stroke of genius.

    He has now created a wonderful collection of businesses that will long outlast him at least by a generation. Like JP Morgan, John Rockefeller, and Sam Walton, Buffett's BRK will live on long after his death. Buffett is giving away his billions to the Gates Foundation. He is giving his children enough money but not too much. As Buffett says, his death with be a "buying opportunity".
    13 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2025
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    A very thoroughly researched and well written book about the life and legacy of a financial genius. A little too long-winded in places. I didn't need so much back story about his family but definitely a book worth reading.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Ermanno
    5.0 out of 5 stars The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life
    Reviewed in Italy on December 30, 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Ho letto il libro in pochi giorni, l'ho trovato molto interessante e scorrevole nonostante non sia proprio corto.
    Ottimo libro se si vuole iniziare ad investire nel mercato azionario o anche per chi è già piu' esperto e necessita di un supporto per rivedere o diversificare il proprio portfolio.
    Report
  • スイート・サイエンス
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Story
    Reviewed in Japan on November 23, 2011
     原書に挑戦したところ、本文だけで700頁のボリュームに圧倒され、読み終えるのに数ヶ月を要したが、世界一の投資家であるWarren Buffettが生まれてから2008年までの人生を詳細に描き出している本書には、それだけの時間を費やす価値があった。

     まず驚いたのが、Buffettのプライベートがここまでと思うほどさらけ出されていることだ。幼い頃に母親から徹底的に罵倒された彼は自分に自信が持てない人格になってしまう。青年になっても人前で話すことができず、それを治すために学校まで通ったというのは現在の彼からは想像もつかない。そんな彼を救ったのが妻となるSusieだ。ここに描かれる彼とのSusieの関係はとても興味深い内容である。Buffettは冷徹な投資家のように見られがちであるが、それと同時に一人の弱い人間であることがよくわかる。

     そして何といってもBuffettがいかに世界一の投資家になったかという過程が実に面白い。彼の現在の巨富が幼い頃から始めた新聞配達で貯めた資金が元になっており、それがタイトルのSnowball(雪だるま)のように転がるにつれて加速的に量が増えていく様子は驚異的だ。ただ自分は今までBuffettが株式に長期投資して、それを売り買いすることにより利益を上げてきたと思い込んできたが、それだけではなく、実際はすぐれた経営者がいる会社を買収して、それをグループに取り込み、そこから生まれるキャッシュを次の投資に向けるという手法を取っていたことは初めて知った。

     また、彼がプライベートでもビジネスでも正直さ・公正さを重んじ、自分が約束したことをきちんと果たす人間であることもよくわかった。
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro
    Reviewed in Mexico on June 24, 2022
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Muy interesante y buen libro!
  • GZ
    5.0 out of 5 stars WALKING ALONGSIDE BUFFET ON HIS JOURNEY OF LIFE ----- A COMPELLING READ !!
    Reviewed in India on April 14, 2023
    Everything is so well conveyed ... The Time and Era .. The Ambience and Surrounds .. The Mood and Buzz alongside the Activity and Acts with The Rationale that supported these .. their relevance at the time , later and much later !!
    Warren focussed on what he was good at and blessed with ... Not without Tremendous Hard Work and Study .. in what appears to be without any compromise on his Values ... and Single Minded Perseverance..
    Every Important Decision is viewed in hindsight from the short ,medium and long term view .. A long journey that commenced very early in his life .

    Felt like I was walking alongside which made it so Interesting !!

    Netflix needs to make this into a Movie !!
  • NicShef❤️Reading
    5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating ...
    Reviewed in Australia on November 28, 2018
    Warren Buffet is a household name... even in Australia. This is an interesting and very candid biography of this simple yet complicated man. I enjoyed the personal part just as much as the business parts however his obsession with money from a young age and the fact that he seems to spend so little makes him quite complicated.

    Alice Shroeder's writing style is excellent and although it is a long book the writing feels both succinct and animated. In a nutshell, Warren proves to be a shrewd businessman, a patient opportunist, yet seems a little disconnected with his own family. And it is clear only later in life when he realised he wanted to give it away do we see the philanthropic side.

    I also enjoyed the sense of transformation from his midwestern roots to a captain of Wall Street and the many great one liners full of wisdom.